Five years ago, we had an ambitious idea to create a weekly newsletter and website to share the many stories that highlight the University of Richmond and our community. We would write about academic excellence, the student experience, campus news, faculty, staff, and alumni achievements, and share these stories with the broader community beyond our campus. UR Now would be the one online publication delivered to Spiders and Spider friends.

Little did we know that in the months leading up to the launch, the world would experience a global pandemic. UR Now became a place where we could keep everyone informed and celebrate the remarkable moments that continued to unfold within our community, despite the many challenges. Students continued to learn and earn prestigious awards; faculty and staff found ways to continue their teaching, mentorship, and scholarship; staff cared for our community; and alumni rallied to share career advice and experiences over Zoom.

Since the launch of UR Now, we’ve told more than 1,000 stories. Stories about how UR ranks, especially when we’re voted the No. 1 Most Beautiful Campus, are among our most viewed. Our top story of all time is about the 2022 renovations of D-Hall. We write about progress on campus — from new residence halls to the renovated and expanded Boatwright Memorial Library — and about beloved traditions, remembrances, and campus lore. Triceragoose anyone?

Readers enjoy learning about new Spiders and want to know where they came from, what they’re passionate about, and why they chose Richmond. Our readers also enjoy celebrating Spider graduates and their many accomplishments. We, too, enjoy following the collegiate careers of Spiders and writing about alumni making a difference in the real world.

We’ve learned you can’t get enough of stories that celebrate milestones and major accomplishments of our student-athletes. From conference championships to the inspiring journeys of those who go on to become professional athletes and coaches.

And with Spiders everywhere, there is no shortage of alumni to profile.

We’ve learned that alumni are proud of their alma mater.

Thanks for going on this journey with us. We celebrate this milestone as we make plans for the next edition and many editions to come. We are excited to keep telling the great stories about the University of Richmond and Spiders everywhere.

Sincerely,

The UR Now team